Hoffman named co-chair of metal thefts panel

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, was recently named the co-chair and conducted the first meeting of the Recyclable Metal Task Force, which unites legislators, law enforcement officials and business leaders in order to combat the theft of recyclable metals, which has become a problem in the Metro East and across the state.

“Replacing valuable metal from electrical wiring, water pipes or street signs is not cheap or easy, and the absence of these necessities can put our communities at risk,” Hoffman said. “The members of the task force and I began our work today and look forward to continuing these conversations.”

Last year, Hoffman passed House Bill 330, which was later signed into law, creating the Recyclable Metals Task Force. Hoffman and state Rep. Mike Unes, R-East Peoria, were named co-chairmen of the task force. The group will consist of a bipartisan group of legislators as well as designees from the Secretary of State’s office, the State Police, recyclable metal dealers, rural electric cooperatives, homeowners’ insurance companies, scrap metal suppliers and chiefs of local police forces from throughout the state.

The task force will meet throughout the year in order to make policy recommendations addressing this growing problem.